VA employees trained to help Middle East vets

Question: How are Department of Veterans Affairs employees being trained to handle the return of combat troops from Iraq and Afghanistan?

Answer: The VA has developed training materials and other tools for front-line staff to assist them in identifying combat veterans so they can take the steps necessary to ensure the veterans receive timely access to appropriate VA services and benefits.

The VA also has developed tools to assist VA clinicians in caring for veterans of the Iraq and Afghan conflicts. In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the VA developed clinical practice guidelines on two combat veteran health issues: postdeployment health and unexplained pain and fatigue.